That’s evident as soon as Derek enters the room where the girls practice. Many stop their conversations or routines to yell hi to the Papillion-La Vista South senior.

They’ve also watched Derek over the years, as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy has slowly changed his life.

“Many of us have known Derek since he wasn't even in a wheelchair,” described cheer captain, Marissa Jeffery, through tears. “It's kind of emotional for many of us.”

Marissa and the rest of the girls know the statistics about Derek’s disorder. There’s no cure, no treatment and in most cases, those with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy die by their early twenties.

Derek wasn’t diagnosed until he was 6. The disorder, which slowly weakens the muscles throughout his body, caused Derek to eventually use a scooter to get around, then a wheelchair.

“It progressively gets worse,” described Derek. “I feel fine now, but we'll have to see how it goes in the future.”

Derek is planning to go to college next fall at Bellevue University. To do that, he needs a new wheelchair.

“I've had this one since 7th grade,” explained Derek. Several of the bolts and screws on his wheelchair are loose, and the chair squeaks quite a bit. “It's old and it's slowly falling apart.”

A new wheelchair costs approximately $30,000. Even with insurance that will pay for an estimated 70-80 percent, Derek’s family still expects to pay between $9,000-$12,000 for a new chair.

“You don’t really have a choice,” said Tammy Caster, Derek’s mother. “It’s not like you say, ‘Oh, we’ll put that off, we’ll save for a year.’ This is something he has to have.”

Marissa Jeffery offered the idea of the cheerleaders volunteering to bag groceries at a local store to raise money for Derek and his family, an activity usually reserved for the team to pay off their own expenses like uniforms.

“Most of the time, we get $500 or $600,” said Marissa. “With Derek, we got $2,000.”

“Not everyone was friendly and kind,” said Tammy Caster. “But they didn’t let that stop them, because they were doing it for Derek. And for me, and that meant a lot to me.”

Tammy Caster hopes telling people about what the girls did will remind everyone about the good in people.

“Unfortunately, in our society, most of the attention goes to the bullies and the bad kids,” said Tammy Caster. “But there are good kids out there and this group of girls, these squads, are proof there are good kids out there.”

To Derek Caster, the fundraisers and hard work from the cheer squad are proof that your friends will always have your back.

“It's just awesome that people care about me,” said Derek. “Makes me feel good about myself.”

There is a fund established at American National Bank for anyone wishing to donate to a fund for Derek Caster.

To learn more about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, visit the following websites:

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